Gay comics creators may have been a virtually invisible
group for many years, but “Queer Comics” have been published for the past five
decades. These days, creators are able to sell more books not despite, but because of their (or their characters’) sexual orientation. (Take
Gengoroh Tagame for instance, the “most influential creator of gay manga in
Japan to date,” a sort of Japanese Tom of Finland. Tagame was the toast of TCAF
this year, releasing his first gay erotic graphic novel published in English in
a print format.)

TCAF also held a panel on Queer Comics featuring Zan
Christiensen, Justin Hall, Erika Moen, Chip Kidd and Gilbert and Jaime
Hernandez (“You don’t have to be queer to make or read queer comics,” they
informed us.) Los Bros Hernandez did much to de-stigmatize characters of
different backgrounds and orientations through deep characterization and
masterful storytelling in their groundbreaking and iconic Love and Rockets. Julio’s
Day, Gilbert’s new book, is actually centered on the life and times of a
Mexican gay man.

Justin Hall is the editor of an excellent new comics
anthology, No Straight Lines, where
he documents four decades of queer comics. The book is incredibly
well-researched, and brings many pearls all the way from the late 60s to the
2000s. It features material that appeared mostly in underground comix, zines or
as webcomics.I missed not seeing
what I consider one of the queerest comics strips of all time, Matt Groening’s
Life in Hell, but the book more than
makes up for it with several hilarious, poignant, historical, political, sexy
and entertaining works from almost a hundred creators. The anthology is more of
a sampler which leaves you longing for more, especially with so many different
shades and flavors being passed in front of you; here you’ll find Dan Savage’s
first time in drag, Alison Bechdel’s dancing phobia, “trannytoons,” a comic
about things not to say or do after having sex, a Margaret Cho "fag hag" tutorial, a trip down memory lane with
Canadian illustrator Glen Hanson’s Chelsea Boys, Howard Cruse's Wendel, a genie tale from Eric Shanower, an introduction by The Matrix’s Lana Wachowski and a lot more. Including,
of course, a cover by Toronto artist Maurice Vellekoop.

Most of the material falls into the categories of
autobiographical coming of age stories and humorous vignettes centered on the
ins and outs of gay life/sex; however, it is remarkable to see the amazing body
of work that queer creators have added to the comics conversation.

Speaking of no straight lines, I came across the art of Eric Kostiuk Williams – a freelance illustrator and comic book creator based in Toronto
– through his illustrations in the “History Boys” feature appearing in a local gay newspaper, where he illustrates historical characters and events with a
queer bent. His book, Hungry Bottom,
is a great showcase for Williams’ talent and an unapologetic queer comic in its
own right, exploring the creator’s life and experiences as a young gay man.